Racism Complaints Hit Record High in Germany, Agency Warns

(MENAFN) Germany's federal anti-discrimination body reported a record-breaking surge in discrimination cases Tuesday, logging 13,067 requests for assistance in 2025 — with nearly half rooted in racial bias.

Of the 4,571 formal complaints filed, approximately 43% were tied to racial discrimination, marking a stark indicator of deepening societal divisions, the agency revealed.

Federal Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Ferda Ataman sounded the alarm at a Berlin press conference, warning that prejudice is no longer isolated but systemic.

"Racist attitudes are becoming entrenched — and leading to significantly more severe experiences of discrimination," Ataman said.

Victims described a pattern of abuse spanning multiple areas of daily life — racial slurs and humiliation in the workplace, barriers to securing housing, and unequal treatment within the healthcare system, frequently linked to physical appearance, ethnic origin, or religious identity.

Ataman made clear that inaction is not a viable path forward.

"Racism and discrimination do not disappear on their own — especially not when people feel that discrimination goes unpunished," Ataman said. She called for tougher legislation and stricter enforcement to ensure everyone can live in freedom and security.

The Commissioner further cautioned that a national atmosphere increasingly poisoned by anti-immigrant rhetoric and racial hostility threatens more than individual victims — it erodes Germany's social fabric and undermines its long-term economic competitiveness.

MENAFN02062026000045017169ID1111199550